


so take my hand, and take my whole life too

by ShanleenKinnJaskey



Series: imagine a time when the truth ran free [2]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Glee, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Chameleon Arch, F/F, F/M, Half-Werewolf!Nick, Harry!Blaine, Klaine, M/M, Master of Death Harry Potter, Past Mpreg, Rory is Klaine's son, Shamelessly screwing with timelines, Time Travel, Witch!Brittany, doctor!kurt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-04-19 23:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4764437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShanleenKinnJaskey/pseuds/ShanleenKinnJaskey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt is the Doctor, Blaine is Harry Potter, and Rory is their son. Life is complicated when you're three of the most powerful beings on earth, especially when that includes going to high school again while your all-powerful, time travelling, Oncoming Storm of a husband is running for Student President on a campaign of /unicorns and rainbows/ and has no memories of being married to you.<br/>Oh, and if your son has a temper tantrum he could blow Ohio off the map completely.<br/>Harry's determined to take life one step at a time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i'm still comparing your past to my future

**Author's Note:**

  * For [emquin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emquin/gifts).



> Title is from "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Ingrid Michaelson. 
> 
> Also, for the purposes of this fic, Luna is Brittany's mom.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Immortals" by Fall Out Boy.

_"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."_

_-William Shakespeare_

Rory has never had a normal childhood; then again, he's never been a normal child. Ever since he can remember, his parents (even though he _does_  call them Dad and Papa), have treated him as an equal, a friend. Except for a few times he's gotten sick over the nearly hundred years he's been alive, he's never been babied or coddled.

He's used to being called on for important jobs as often as his Papa is, and often ends up rescuing his Dad from the dangerous situations his selflessness gets him into. It always fills him with a sense of pride when his Dad or Papa refuse to resort to violence without first giving the enemy a second chance.

So of course he isn't surprised when his Dad asks him for help on a joint mission with him and Papa, even if he is a bit curious as to why his Dad wants him to imitate Uncle Seamus' accent while doing it.

* * *

"So, Papa," Rory says, sidling up next to Harry with a shit-eating grin as soon as Kurt leaves to go to the restroom, "Ya 'ad literally _all_  the names in the _entire_  universe ta choose from and ya went with the one that meant "courageous advice" for your husband. Obvious much?"

Harry whips around to face Rory and his face splits into an identical grin. "Rory, you're here!"

Rory nods. "Yeah, just got dropped off at Aunt Luna's this morning. Saw ya off just a few hours ago. How long 'as it been since then for you?"

Harry sighs, leaning back heavily against the lockers. "Two years for me, and three for Kurt even though he doesn't realize it."

Rory whistles appreciatively. "Not bad. Okay, so now tell me why ya actin' all protective. Not that anyone else 'as noticed or anythin', but I can read body language pretty well thanks to ya training. Somethin' 'appened to Kurt and it 'as ya worried. It's not recent, as Kurt's body language is pretty at ease, but neither was it far away if ya still so uptight. So, spill."

Harry grins proudly at his son despite the heavy topic they're discussing. "You're right, just like always. I transferred a few weeks ago from Dalton, just like your dad predicted, but a lot of stuff went down before that." His smile fades, replaced by a look of anger. "Your dad's gone through a ton of shite since we met. Last Prom he was elected Prom Queen, and before that he was bullied for years: tossed into dumpsters, shoved into lockers, and _slushied_. After two hundred years of travelling with the Doctor I'm still sometimes amazed with the extent of human cruelty. Sometimes I wonder why we protect such a mean race." Harry shakes his head a little, getting himself back to focus on what he was talking about. "But anyway, the event you're talking about happened last year, a little after we first met." He takes a shuddering breath, preparing himself to talk about one of the worst moments in his life. "I slipped up, said something about being courageous and standing up for yourself- stuff that your dad and I always reminded each other of when we were down- and he went and confronted his bully. It turned out, however, that the reason he was so horrible to your father was because he was closeted. And he...He stole your dad's first kiss this lifetime."

Rory growls dangerously. "He did _what_?" His hand twitches toward his jacket pocket, but stays in place.

Harry nods cautiously, understanding the movement. Rory's wand is hidden there. It's a unique wand, one of a kind, even more than Harry's. Its core is solidified Basilisk venom mixed with Huan particles from the core of the TARDIS, and the shell comes from the last tree of Gallifrey (helpfully stored in one of the TARDIS's many holding rooms). It easily ties Harry's, the Elder Wand, for the title of the most powerful wand in existence.

And it _should_ \- it's the wand of the only Time Lord-Wizard halfling in the universe.

And as such a powerful tool, its use has to be carefully regulated, at least while on earth.

"Don't worry, he escaped and went to Dalton for awhile, where I got to fall in love with him all over again. Then he transferred back after Karofsky, that bully, turned over a new leaf and helped co-found an anti-bullying club with Santana. Prom happened, then Nationals, then we spent the summer together, then I transferred this year. Not much has happened since then until you showed up. Well, other than the normal New Directions drama, but I'm used to excitement by now, you know?"

By now Rory has relaxed, and Harry is breathing a bit easier. His son is incredibly powerful, and thank Merlin that he inherited the Doctor's temper instead of Harry's because that power has the potential to cause a ton of damage.

"So, Rory, care to explain the hat?" Harry asks with a raised eyebrow, pointing to Rory's strange green hat.

Rory grins. "Aye, can't ya tell? I'm a leprechaun. Luna's idea."

Harry doesn't even question it- he got used to Luna's insanity ages ago. "And how has that gone for you?"

Something flickers in his son's eyes as he readjusts his satchel on his shoulder. "Well, Brit loves pretendin' that I'm a leprechaun and asking for wishes, so that's a plus." Rory seems happy, but Harry picks up on how his son is looking down at the floor and won't meet his eyes.

"But...?" He asks, prompting Rory to tell him the truth.

Rory sighs and looks at him. Well, down at him, as Harry is a few inches shorter than his son (a fact that both Rory and the Doctor constantly tease him about). "But, I'm gettin' bullied for being Irish and that Latina girl who I think is Brit's girlfriend, thinks I'm into Brit, which I'm _so_  not. She's like a cousin to me, Papa, ya know that better than anyone, but the Latina girl either doesn't realize that I'm not flirtin' with her or doesn't care. Or does she insult everyone like that and I shouldn't worry?"

"If you're talking about Santana," a familiar voice says, and Rory turns around, sucking in a breath as he finds his Dad behind him, a familiar half-smirk-half-smile twisting his lips, "Then yeah, that's how she always is. No need to worry." Kurt's gaze searchs over Rory, sizing him up, and Rory has to resist a grin. This is his dad, though younger than he's ever seen, and it's so strange to see him again knowing that this version of his dad is a mere human with only one heart and no memory of him or his Papa. "So, are you the new transfer student that Finn mentioned yesterday? Um, I'm sorry, but I don't think he mentioned your name."

Rory nods, and Harry smiles at Kurt, easily stepping forward and slipping his hand into his boyfriend's. "This is Rory Flanagan. He's from Ireland and he's staying with Brittany. I just stopped by to talk to him about the bullying he's been experiencing as the new kid." Harry grins at Kurt. " _Somehow_  I didn't get the same treatment when I transferred here. Maybe it's because I had better allies?"

Kurt smirks. "It's because they wouldn't _dare_ try to be infected by the gay. One gay boy alone is okay to be bullied, but one who's in a relationship with another boy? Too gay- now you're contagious. Why do you think the jocks have been avoiding us?"

Rory remembers the role he's supposed to play. "So, Blaine, this is ya boyfriend?"

Harry grins, and even if Rory didn't know the truth he'd be able to tell just how proud Harry was of being able to be called Kurt's boyfriend. It's obvious in the way that he naturally gravitated toward Kurt, in how he'd reached for Kurt’s hand as soon as he'd seen him, and in how every time he glances at Kurt his eyes light up like he's discovered the eighth wonder of the universe. "Yes, this Kurt Hummel, my wonderful boyfriend." _And husband_ , goes unsaid, but both Rory and Harry think it.

But before anything else can be said, the bell rings. "Well, it's time for class," Kurt says, "Rory, you're welcome to sit with us and the Glee Club at lunch if you want." Rory's jaw drops as Kurt turns to Harry. To Kurt Hummel, he's just some random new kid. No connection, no reason to offer a way out of the cesspool of high school loserdom, and yet Kurt is offering it like it's nothing. "And you, Blaine, I'll see you at lunch too." As Rory watches his dad squeezes his Papa's hand one last time before he goes and then leaves to get to his next class in time.

Harry notices the questioning look in Rory's eyes. "No PDA, sorry. We're in the middle of Nowheresville, Ohio, where two boys kissing in public could set off a riot, remember?"

"I wish ya could go somewhere where ya could just be accepted for who ya are," Rory says sincerely, trying to convey the feeling of not being alone in the universe.

Harry smiles sadly. "We had that once," he says while turning to go away, "But he wanted to come here and I love him, so I said yes. Have a good day, Rory, and I'll see you later."

And Rory knows that Harry isn't just talking about Kurt and Dalton.


	2. i walked with you once upon a dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Once Upon A Dream" from Sleeping Beauty.  
> Yes, the Doctor's outfit is Kurt's Promasaurus outfit with a twist. Sue me.
> 
> (Don't really, though, it was just a joke)

_"I don’t know how it is you are so familiar to me – or why it feels less like I am getting to know you and more as though I am remembering who you are._

_How every smile, every whisper brings me closer to the impossible conclusion that I have known you before, I have loved you before – in another time, in a different place – some other existence"_

_-Lang Leav – “Soul mates”_

 

The first dream comes the night Kurt meets Blaine. He can't remember much when he wakes up- there were pocket watches, and a blue box, and an orange sky, and wizards- but he _can_  remember the warm feeling that filled him during it. He wakes up with a smile on his face, and though by the time he arrives at school that day he's forgotten the details of the dream, he is still filled with that sense of comfort and warmth. It lasts until he's shoved into a locker by Karofsky, and then he forgets even the happiness.

***

The next dream, if it can be called a dream, comes when he is first kissed by Blaine. In the second before their lips separate the image of a swirling vortex fills his head, as well as a torrent of images that come and leave so quickly they don't have time to leave an impression, but then Blaine leans back and the sight of Blaine's beautiful amber eyes makes Kurt forget everything.

***

The third time is when Blaine says "I love you". For a moment Kurt gets the image of someone else, someone with impossibly green ( _killing curse green_ , a whisper in the back of his mind says, but then he forgets again) eyes, glasses, and wild black curls, saying the exact same thing appearing in his mind, causing him to pause in picking up his coffee, but then the picture fades away. Kurt smiles, forgets the past again, and repeats the words that pass his lips as naturally as if he's said them a million times before.

***

The fourth time is the first time the dreams stick. It's the night after he meets Rory, and after he calls Blaine to say goodnight he falls asleep, slipping away into the world of dreams.

He hears Blaine's voice, dulcet tones so familiar, singing with a child. Then he sees flashes of a sci-fi like room, and he's laughing and chasing after a small brown-haired child around a shining control panel. Then he turns and catches a glimpse of himself in a mirror-like circle in the wall. He's slightly older, a few small wrinkles carved into his face at the corners of his eyes, and he's wearing a strange yet attractive outfit. It's a white dress shirt with slightly rolled up sleeves, black suit vest, skinny black pants, and a black top hat. There are two strange extra details, though- he's wearing a pair of tall dark blue boots cut in a strange pattern, made out of a material he can't quite identify, and around his neck, dangling from a thin silver chain, hangs a silver ring.

He hears Blaine's voice shriek in delight somewhere in the background, and he smiles at his reflection at the sound before everything fades to black again.

When he wakes up, he's filled with a strange sense of peace.

* * *

Harry can't help but smile proudly when Rory belts out that high note when presenting the song that he dedicates "to his family, who he loves so very much". He steals a glance at Kurt during Rory's high note and he finds a surprised look on his face.

Harry remembers them working on that note together. His son spent three years as a child in the forests of the planet Uldor with the Doctor trying to perfect their voices, trying to hit those higher notes. Rory had been so determined to reach that peak in order to impress his Dad, and Harry had never had the heart to tell him that it was never needed in the first place.

And now, almost a hundred years later, Harry can barely contain the urge to to go over and hug Rory and congratulate him. Not only because of how _damn_  amazing he is, but because Harry can see the tears in his son's eyes and he wants to comfort him, but he knows he can't. So he sits up straight and claps when they all give Rory a round of applause and hopes that his son understands just how proud he is.

* * *

When the balls suddenly come flying at his face and pain spurts from his nose, Rory is knocked off kilter. He curses the fact that his wand is tucked into his jeans in the locker room as he curls up into a ball, clutching his bleeding nose. As a salty tear escapes his eye, he finds himself wrapped in someone's arms. He looks up, wiping his eye with his unoccupied hand, about to glare at his Papa for interfering in front of everyone, when he registers Kurt's scathing voice lecturing Santana, Sugar, and Brittany about being mean. He manages a shocked glance at his Papa, still sitting on the bleachers after getting out earlier, who has a proud smile on his face as he watches Kurt helping Rory.

Then Rory looks back at Kurt and finds himself being helped up by the person who, up until now, he regarded as a shell of his dad. _Hmm,_  he thinks through the throbbing pounding through his head, _it seems as if Kurt Hummel has a backbone_.

Then he suddenly finds himself being helped up by Kurt, who directs him to lean forward a bit or he'll choke on his own blood. Then he declares loud enough for China to hear that he's taking Rory to the clinic and the glare he aims at everyone could cow Rassilon himself. Harry appears at his side, offering to help, and Kurt readily accepts his offer. As Kurt turns slightly to the side, Harry sends a small smile Rory's way that fills Rory with warmth even in his befuddled with pain state, and suddenly it strikes Rory, in a strange, off-kilter sort of way that he is definitely attributing to he pain throbbing through his head, that there's a reason Kurt Hummel has such a backbone.

The Doctor's always been at his strongest when he's protecting someone else.

* * *

Harry thanks Merlin that he's had a hundred years of traveling with the Doctor to improve his acting skills when Artie asks him and Rachel if they're virgins, because he is probably farther from a virgin than any member of the New Directions. He's birthed a child, for Merlin's sake, and hasn't been a virgin for over a hundred years.

He schools his expression, though, and acts awkward and shy like he did when Mrs. Weasley first gave him 'the Talk' all those years ago. Kurt Hummel is a virgin even though the Doctor isn't, and if Kurt Hummel is a virgin then so is Blaine Anderson. Harry's only ever been with the Doctor, whether in this life or his old one, and he'll only ever have these firsts with his husband in any lifetime.

(Although back before that first kiss in this life, when Kurt had been trying to be sexy- that had been both the saddest and funniest thing Harry has ever seen. His husband knows how to turn him on, and that was _so_ not it)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ring around Kurt’s neck is important.


	3. (i love you) take care of yourself, i'll miss you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Take Care of Yourself" by Teddy Thompson.  
> Fun fact: Rory's full name is Rory Flanagan James Potter. Rory for Rory Williams, James for Harry's father, and Flanagan is the Uldorian word for "song".

_"I'll have a Blue Christmas without you_

_I'll be so blue just thinking about you_

_Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree_

_Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me..."_

_-Elvis Presley,_ Blue Christmas

 

_"If the world stops spinning, slowing to a crawl_

_I will continue to dream of you_

_Until, I no longer dream at all."_

_-Jessica de la Davies_ , Slippery When Wet!

 

Yes, Sebastian is a douchebag and a sniveling rat, but that is _all_ he is. And in the end, Harry is not only not attracted to the meerkat-faced, swaggering Dalton boy who thinks Harry doesn't notice him insulting Kurt, but he's _married_. He has a beautiful, extraordinary husband and a talented son that he's so proud of. He has a wonderful, if unconventional, family that he wouldn't give up for anything.

Not that Sebastian has any way to know that Kurt is his husband in another life, or that the unassuming Irish boy he insults the performance of in _West Side Story_  is actually Harry's son, but still it irks him that Sebastian thinks he can just insult his friends and get away with it, that Blaine will want to go out with him even if Harry doesn't. Harry has to fake politeness towards Sebastian, to pretend that he has no idea that Sebastian keeps openly flirting with him even after he tells him that he's with Kurt.

But still, Kurt wants to go to the bar, so Harry agrees. Of course he does- he can't possibly say no to Kurt.

***

He should have remembered that he has the body of a teenager now, and that (as he learned, to his shame, with Rachel) he can't handle alcohol well as a teenager. And this time it's a lot worse.

For just a moment, he forgets when he is, who he's supposed to be playing, and tries to pull Kurt _-the Doctor_ -Kurt (he can't tell in his inebriated state) down, just like they've done a million times over the years. But then Kurt recoils and shouts at him, crying, and Harry sobers too late just in time to see Kurt storm away.

Oh Merlin, what has he _done_?

* * *

And then they're making love, finally, after so long apart, and Blaine’s very bones are thrumming with Kurt's presence and love, and he's filled with sheer joy because this-

 _This_ is happiness.

* * *

"Wow, guys, have you noticed how much Kurt and Rory look like each other?" Tina asks as they're getting ready for their mash-up. It's a completely normal question, of course, but for a moment Rory and Harry freeze, exchanging a single panicked glance.

Luckily, however, no one notices, as Kurt comments with a laugh, fixing one of Rory's flyaway hairs in a frustratingly familiar gesture, "Yeah, we could be twins, Rory, like Lindsay Lohan in the Parent Trap. Do you think we could be brothers?"

Rory laughs in an if-you-only-knew kind of way and replies, "No, I'm definitely not ya brother." Harry and he do have to smother their near-hysterical laughter as they realize how close Kurt came to the truth and just how far he managed to get it wrong by.

Harry leans over and gives his boyfriend a kiss on the cheek, eyes sparkling with mirth.

* * *

As soon as Sam begins his argument with Harry about sexualizing or "selling sex" for the routine warning bells begin to go off in Rory's brain. He watches as his Papa's expression begins to contort into a pained, angry one, and as he stares helplessly the "Blaine Anderson" façade slips and Harry's savage, abused side comes out. Rory knows far too well what is sparking the transformation- even after years of travelling the universe with the Doctor and his son, trying to live as normal of a life as he can, everyone back in Britain still wants Harry to help them with the government. Every time he steps foot on British soil outside of one of their cousins' houses Harry is bombarded by Wizarding media and politicians urging him to help out and participate in the government. None of them seem to realize that Harry was just a teenager when it all happened, that all he wants is a life with his family. Yes, he saved Britain when they needed saving (it's kind of the family business, when Rory thinks about it), but he never signed up for a position in the government. Everyone wants to sell his story, to get them on his side, to just generally make him out to be some celebrity, and Harry's never wanted any of it.

"I'm not for sale!" Harry shouts, and Rory knows that his anger isn't only addressed at the New Directions (most specifically Finn, who Rory has noticed has been putting his Papa down every chance he's gotten). Even as he turns and storms out the words ring in Rory's ears. The other New Directions just look confused, Kurt a bit worried, but it is the hardest thing Rory has ever done to just stay where he is instead of running after his Papa and comforting him.

Instead he can just watch incredulously as _Finn_ heads out the door after Blaine. Maybe there is hope for humanity after all.

* * *

The fifth time Kurt wakes up from a dream starring Blaine's voice in the background, a grinning, ever-familiar child, and Kurt himself in that same strange outfit, he grabs one of his fashion sketchbooks and quickly sketches out an outline. Then he fills it in with quick strokes, the colors flowing off the pen like water from a magic wand.

Something strange happens as he sketches and colors in the outfit. The memories of the outfit from the dream don't fade like usual- instead they only grow stronger. He can almost feel the silky fabric of the pants against his skin, can picture the exact shade of blue that the scaled boots are made out of. He holds up the completed picture under the light and stares at it, soaking in the tangible picture.

It looks... _just_   _right_. 

* * *

If Rachel Berry mentions her "twogaydads" one more time Rory's going to explode with frustration and annoyance. She has _no idea_ how hard it can be to have parents who don't fit in anywhere. No doubt Mr. and Mr. Berry have suffered their fair share of discrimination in their lifetimes and didn't want their daughter to have to suffer any of what they went through (which Rory understands 100%), but Rory has had two dads give him the universe and _he_ hasn't grown up thinking that he owns it.

When he overhears the whole list of what she asks of Finn for Christmas he actually has to walk off and cool down in the restroom because he's _that_ pissed. Rachel Barbara Berry is a spoiled brat and he's surprised that no one's taken her down a notch for how she's treating everyone. He gets to the door to the restrooms in time to see someone finish slipping into the girls' bathroom. All he sees of them is their cherry-red covered top half and Rory frowns. Has someone been hit by one of the infamous slushies his Papa warned him about?

Rory pushes open the door to the girls' bathroom and his jaw drops when he finds his dad standing in front of the sink only wearing a tank top, carefully rinsing the gunk out of his hair. Rory distantly noticed the over shirt Kurt had been wearing earlier draped over the top of a stall, drenched with red liquid. "D-Kurt?" He asks, remembering to catch himself at the last moment, "I thought no one got slushied anymore."

Kurt whips around to look at Rory, drops of water from his hair flying every direction. The first thing he says, though, is a surprise. "Please don't tell Blaine I got slushied, Rory," he pleads quickly, "I don't want him to worry."

Once again Kurt Hummel has managed to surprise him. "Aye, I won't tell," he promises, knowing full well that he could tell and Kurt would never know, but that he won't. This is a secret that Kurt and he share that Harry doesn't know, and it feels kind of special as he walks over, starts dampening paper towels, and hands then to Kurt, who smiles at him and finishes cleaning up.

Also, Rachel Barbara Berry's got nothing on Kurt Elizabeth Hummel, who even stuck in the wrong life and without any Time Lord DNA managed to turn into just as selfless and brave a person as the Doctor.

* * *

Holidays have always been a funny thing aboard the TARDIS.

Every time a holiday hits for Rory in Time Lord years (the Doctor ages so gradually that it's barely noticed, and Harry only ages when he wants to thanks to the whole 'Master of Death' business), they go out to visit family and friends. Yuletide is with the whole Weasley brood- Ron, Hermione, and their kids; George, eternally single; Percy and his partner, William; Bill, Fleur, and their kids; Charlie; Grandpa and Grandma Weasley; and last but not least Ginny, Neville, and their kids. Thanksgiving is with Luna, her Chinese-American Squib husband Xang Pierce, and Brittany. Easter is skipped (the TARDIS's first family are all Atheists), but Halloween is spent with Dean, Seamus, and George, who insists on helping with the 'trick' part of Halloween, along with a small stopover in Chiswick to see Wilfred Mott, an old companion of the Doctor's and a old friend of Mr. Weasley's.

(The Doctor always seems to get wistful after their visits with Wilfred.)

But needless to say, the whole Christmas part of Yuletide is a bit complicated for Harry and Rory this year. It's about spending time with family, and now that Harry finally has his entire family back together after the past two years of waiting and yearning it's harder than ever to not cry.

Rory takes up Sam's offer of spending the holiday, but only since he knows that Sam will be spending Christmas with the Hummel-Hudsons (Brittany and Luna really do travel for the holiday. They go back to Britain, where they will spend it with the Weasleys and the Finnegan-Thomases and apologize for the Potters' inability to make it for Yule). Oh, and that Papa will be there. Since, you know, Papa's "parents are on another business trip to France".

When he arrives at Kurt’s house, he stands in the foyer and, for just a moment, lets a sense of nostalgia wash over him. For a moment he remembers a hundred Yules, whether spent with Papa's family in England and Ireland or with his fathers travelling throughout the universe. The smell of cooking ham takes him back to countless Christmases with Grandma Weasley and her perfectly cooked ham as well as countless Thanksgivings with Luna and her decidedly less-than-perfectly cooked ones.

Finn's voice jerks him out of his reverie. "Oh, hey, Rory, welcome to the Hudmel house." Rory's eyes snap open to find Finn with a video game controller in hand and a grin spread across his face. "Drop your shoes off at the door- Kurt always gets on my back about that."

Rory smiles (it's just like Dad to do that, to keep him and Papa from forgetting everything) and toes off his shoes on the mat before following Finn into the family room to play video games.

***

They're up in his room, Kurt at his desk on his laptop plugging away at his college applications and Blaine flipping through one of Kurt's sketchbooks. Christmas music is playing softly from Kurt's ipod and Kurt is just _happy_ for the first time in forever.

"What's this one?" Blaine asks, a slightly strange edge to his voice as he plops the sketchbook down next to Kurt's computer. Kurt glances over at it and finds his dream sketch.

"Oh, that one. I dreamed it up the other night. I'm kind of planning on wearing it to prom, if I can find the proper fabric." Kurt scrunched up his nose as he remembers last year's prom. "But maybe not those boots, though. Might be a bit too fabulous for those neanderthals to handle."

"And the ring?" Blaine asks, pointing to the small detail dangling over the chest of the sketch.

Kurt raises an eyebrow. "I don't know. Well..." He thinks about it. "Promise you won't laugh."

"Never," Blaine says with a smile, but for a moment it feels like there is a much deeper meaning to the promise. Then something in Blaine's eyes shifts and the feeling disappears. 

"Okay, fine. You know, I almost feel like I've seen it somewhere before." He catches the look of surprise on Blaine's face and laughs. "I know, silly, right?"

Blaine grins, eyes sparkling. "Not silly at all," he says, then leans in and kisses his boyfriend.

***

When it comes to Christmas dinner, Rory cracks. When everyone sits down in the dining room for dinner, he heads over to the seat next to his Papa and sits down. He doesn't think it's _that_ noticeable for people who don't know the truth and he wants, just for one meal, to be able to sit next to his Papa and feel somewhat like a family. As he walks over to the table he suddenly misses the childhood he never had, all the ordinary meals around a table instead of running around saving planets and grabbing bites to eat along the way. Yes, his parents are his best friends and he'd never give that up for anything, but he missed out on so many major milestones and moments.

He sits down next to his Papa and discreetly runs his hand under his eye, brushing the tear out of his eyes. He nearly jumps when he feels the comforting weight of his Papa's hand on his knee. He turns to look at Harry and finds a wistful smile on his face. "You miss your family, Rory?" Harry asks kindly, and something aches deep inside Rory's chest. He knows from Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione's stories that his Papa also missed out on plenty of Christmases without a proper family as a child, and both of them are here now without any family but each other. Kurt has Finn and his family, but Rory and "Blaine" are far away from home and family. He wishes he could hug his Papa and feel truly loved again, but he knows he can't. 

"Aye," he says, "I 'aven't gotten to see 'em in awhile," and Harry nods.

"Don't worry, Rory. I'm sure you'll get to see them soon, and I'm sure that they're missing you as much as you're missing them." Then Harry releases his hand from Rory's knee, and Rory smiles knowing that there is someone else here who understands his impossible situation. 


	4. i am the opposite of amnesia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy.
> 
> Songs are "E.T." by Katy Perry, "Cosmic Love" by Florence + the Machine, and "Drops of Jupiter" by Train.

_"We'll have the days we break,_

_And we'll have the scars to prove it,_

_We'll have the bonds that we save,_

_But we'll have the heart not to lose it._

_For all of the times we've stopped,_

_For all of the things I'm not..."_

_OneRepublic_ , Marching On

 

"Tell us about your family, Rory," Carole says during dinner, and Rory decides to tell some of the truth. After all, he can't outright lie. He  _wouldn't_ outright lie- his vast, unique family is his greatest source of pride.

"I 'ave a _lot_  of cousins. My Papa was adopted into a huge family after his parents died, and there's enough of them ta visit someone different each holiday." He tries his hardest not to glance over at Harry, but he can feel Harry's hand tense up next to his leg. "My grandma knits us these bulky sweaters every year for Christmas and even though all of us pretend to be annoyed with them we all really love them. I 'ave a lot of cousins on that side of the family. On the other side of the family- well, my mother" Rory nearly cringes at the word, but manages to keep his feelings from showing, "was an orphan so I don't have any biological family on that side, but she 'ad lots of close friends. We see them at Christmas when we take our annual trip to London." Now Rory looks around at everyone in an attempt to disguise looking at Harry but when he gets to his Papa he sees a warm, nostalgic smile, obviously thinking of the days after Christmas that they've spent with Sarah Jane, the guys from Torchwood, Mickey, Martha, Jo Grant, Wilfred Mott, and all the rest of his Dad's army of friends and family.

"That sounds wonderful, Rory," Kurt says, and Rory swallows. Of course Kurt would be the one to comment on his family.  _Of course_ he would. In a single irrational moment two conflicting urges pass through Rory- one, to hug his Dad for saying something like that, and two, to punch Kurt in the face for daring to comment on his family when he can't come close to understanding the truth. Harry squeezes his knee comfortingly, but it doesn't help as much as it did earlier.

"It is," he replies honestly, and then Sam starts talking about his family and Rory breathes a sigh of relief.

* 

Rory wakes up early on Christmas morning in a sleeping bag on the floor of Kurt's room. His Papa's on one side of him in a sleeping bag, where he fell asleep late last night, and Kurt's bed is on the other. For the moment neither of them are awake and Rory takes the opportunity to wonder what will happen for Sam, Blaine, and him for gifts this morning.

He jumps up as he realizes that he still needs presents for most of them. He sinks back down onto his sleeping bag when he remembers that he still has a lot of souvenirs from Britain, aimless trinkets that he always brings with him to remind him of his family there. He obviously can't give anyone the Magical ones, but the Muggle ones should work. He crawls over to his backpack, and after glancing around to make sure that no one is watching, he pulls out the Expanding Bag that Aunt Hermione gave to him. Sure, he could have grabbed one much better from the TARDIS but it's more for sentimental value than anything else that he keeps the bag. It's like a little piece of home wherever he goes.

He pulls out small things for everyone, whispering the names of the items to summon them from the depths of the bag.

Then he carefully wraps them after casting a _Silencio_ charm to keep the sound of rustling paper muffled.

Later on when they're opening presents, Rory tears open the bright green-and-red striped paper of a gift with his name on it to reveal a small white box. He pulls off the top to reveal a pocket watch nestled safely inside, and he gasps. Covered in intricate Gallifreyan writing, the runes detail the name of his Dad in their language. That means that this must be...

Rory looks up and over at his Papa, who nods slightly before turning a bit and snuggling a little deeper into Kurt's side. "Thank you, Blaine," he says, willing his voice not to crack with emotion, and Harry smiles back at him.

"I thought you'd appreciate it," Harry says, and Rory nods, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.

* * *

Mr. Schue assigns "Love In Space" week and Harry and Rory nearly burst out laughing. They have no idea why he did it- though now that Rory thinks about it, Aunt Luna had had out her wand earlier when she dropped Brit and him off at school so he his suspicions- but the concept thrills them.

The week starts out with Harry enlisting Brittany and Tina to do back up on "E.T.", a performance that has Rory grinning like a loon by the end.

_Different DNA, they don't understand you_

_You're from a whole other world_

_A different dimension_

_You open my eyes_

_And I'm ready to go, lead me into the light..._

_Boy, you're an alien, your touch so foreign_

_It's supernatural, extraterrestrial_

Supernatural, extraterrestrial- that's the three of them in a phrase. Though Harry is obviously serenading Kurt, at one point during the song he catches Rory's eyes and they exchange a grin.

*

Rachel sings a somewhat appropriate, somewhat inexplicable song that's both about failed love and also staying through the hardships together.

_I took the stars from our eyes, and then I made a map_

_And knew that somehow I could find my way back_

_Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too_

_So I stayed in the darkness with you_

Rory can only watch, admiring Rachel and her... _tenacity_ and talent, both of which remind him of Aunt Ginny.

The song ends and they all applaud.

*

As his Dad sings Rory's breath leaves him. He watches, transfixed, as he watches Kurt sing words truer than he ever could have known.

He's seen Venus and the Milky Way- all of them have. The universe is all Rory has ever known, his playground and his home. He's fallen in love with the stars, with the majesty and grandeur of the supernovae and the hope posed by the shimmering dwarfs just beginning to burn. He knows what his Dad sings about, the adventure through the stars to find yourself.

_Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star?_

_One without a permanent scar_

_And did you miss me_

_While you were looking for yourself out there?_

That's what his Papa did alright- he fell for a man whose scars weren't guaranteed to stay, who could change into a totally different person at any moment. He loved- _loves_ -the Doctor enough to stay, to risk his sanity and his love on a wild adventure through the cosmos.

By the time the song ends Rory is fighting tears, and when he glances over at Harry he sees matching tears in his eyes.

* * *

When Rory sees his Papa suddenly burst into the opening chords of "Wanna be Starting Something" with a focused energy that he's only seen present during Sectionals, Rory realizes that he's seeing what his Papa could have been if he'd been a normal teenager instead of a country-saving Chosen One. Michael and all of the other Jackson groups are a lot closer to Harry's heart than Katy Perry ever could be.

The number is fun, of course, and the cool military jacket is probably the best part (he's _so_  keeping it- maybe it will be part of his "signature Time Lord outfit") besides performing with Kurt and his Papa, of course, but there is definitely a sense of nostalgia in his Papa's eyes as he dances with the Cheerios and Kurt. It strikes Rory as he sings out the "Ma Ma Coo Sa"s that once upon a time, in a life long ago, his Papa was a teenager just like the rest of the singing kids around them. And even as he grins, the energetic beat of the song flowing through him, he grieves for the childhood his Papa never got to have.

***

When Harry goes down after the slushie hits, Rory screams and then suddenly everyone freezes where they are as if someone has pressed the pause button on life. Well, everyone except Rory himself, Brittany, Harry, Kurt, and some random kid on the edges of the Warblers who rushes to Harry's side to help.

Rory looks down and realizes that he's pulled out his wand without realizing it. He must have accidentally frozen everyone when he saw his Papa get hurt. He has no idea how, but he knows that when he saw his Papa get hit with that slushie and go down with a groan of pain his vision went red with anger. He knows that when that happens, which is rare thanks to his training with Papa, disasters tend to occur.

He looks back up and finds that Brittany and that Warbler kid are handling themselves well, but Kurt starts freaking out the moment he looks up and finds everyone else frozen. "What in the name of Gaga is going on?"

"Rory froze all the non-humans," Brittany says, and Rory gapes at her.

"Wait, what about-"

The Warbler kid cuts him off. "Half-werewolf through my mom. And Blaine's a wizard, right? He didn't always do a good job of hiding his wand. But that's not important. What are you, and can you help Blaine with his eye?"

Rory swallows. How the hell can he explain what he is without Kurt finding out who he is? He can feel the weight of the fob watch and all the secrets it's carrying in his pocket. "I'm a wizard," he decides to say, "And I think I can heal him." He raises his wand and points it toward the car, focusing on not projecting too much energy into the instrument. " _Accio_ Expanding Bag!" A small wallet-sized drawstring bag comes zooming out of the car and into Rory's hand. He crouches down next to his papa and pulls out the bottle of Raxicoricofallipatorian healing salve. He says, "I'm sorry, Papa," and gently pries open his papa's right eye, the one he's clutching at. He empties out a few drops into Papa's eye and to his relief the slushie and whatever the gritty stuff is burns away and the swelling begins to go down. Rory breathes out a sigh of relief and sits back on his knees.

"How'd that even fit in there?" Kurt asks curiously, and thank goodness he's not freaking out anymore.

"Bigger on the inside," Rory and Harry say together, and Rory grins as his Papa slowly sits up, hand over his eye. He's still grimacing in pain but at least he's smiling weakly at the in joke.

"Kurt," Harry says, "We have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

Kurt nods, eyes wide. Harry looks at Rory. "Use _Obliviate_. I'll tell Kurt the truth."

Rory nods at his Papa, and begins to quietly and carefully _Obliviate_ each of the New Directions and Warblers as his Papa softly explains to Kurt some of their basic story. He frowns as he listens, noticing how Harry is explaining details about the Wizarding World and how he and Harry are related but not explaining anything about Time Lords or who his Dad used to be. Harry doesn't mention their adventures in space, rather talking about the basics of wizardry and what Nick and Brittany are. It feels almost like a betrayal, even if Rory understands why Harry isn't telling Kurt about the Doctor- Harry is only talking about half of Rory's background, half of his life. He's explaining the magic of earth but leaving out the rest of the universe, the beauty they've seen and the adventures they've had.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment or leave kudos if you want me to continue!


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